Three Classic Car Events: A Report by Andrey Khrysanthov

XI L.U.C. Chopard Classic Weekend Rally

This event took place right at the beginning of the month, on the first day. It was a typical “parade” of antique cars through the city streets, starting from the TSUM department store, where L.U.C. Chopard just happened (what a coincidence!) to open its watch boutique that very day. The lineup of participants was impressive: cars from the early 20th century, pre-war models, post-war vehicles, both domestic and foreign—there was something for everyone. The starting arch was located near the monument to playwright Ostrovsky. Had the Maly Theatre not been under reconstruction, the bronze classic from his comfortable bronze chair would have blessed the participants leaving the start. Unfortunately, circumstances were different, and this slightly diminished the grandeur of the event.

The cars started at two-minute intervals, heading left under the traffic light, towards Teatralny Proezd, climbing toward Lubyanka. The route was winding and challenging—it was important to showcase these cars to as many Muscovites and visitors as possible, as not everyone was able to come to Teatralnaya Square that pleasant morning, and it wouldn’t have fit anyway. Not to mention, reaching the finish line, set in the glamorous Barvikha (Luxury Village, of course), was far for most.

Despite the somewhat lightweight nature of the event, participants were awarded prizes and placed in different categories. In the Veteran class, first place was claimed by the large and stately 1936 Mercedes-Benz 770 (also known as the Grosser). In the Absolute class (cars manufactured between 1946 and 1973), the winner was the magnificent “land yacht” – the 1949 Chrysler Town and Country with a partially wooden open body.

III Bosch Moscow Klassik Rally

Further, things became much more serious! The start was scheduled from the Historical Museum complex, just across the square from the previous location, but the main events took place far beyond the city limits, at the Federal Protection Service test site in Staraia Kupavna. There, participants faced various challenges, from a special aquaplaning bath to a dynamic skid plate. The judging team consisted of real professionals, so it’s no surprise that, with one exception, only post-war vehicles showed up at the start.

The rally was divided into two sections: the “navigator” section (the route to the test site) and the “driver” section (the test site itself). Light rain started at the start, so all open cars had to leave with their tops up—except for one, which was the same exception. The leader, with the number “1” on his car, was a brave centenarian, a 1914 Locomobile speedster; there was no folding roof, but under the hood was a massive engine with a displacement of more than eight and a half liters and nearly meter-diameter wheels. However, even this solid machine did not complete the “navigator” section, as it retired from the distance and thus did not place.

For those who did make it to the test site, serious challenges awaited. The well-equipped site allowed for significant changes in the surface’s grip coefficient, which all participants had to face. The rain (which had just begun to worsen in Moscow’s weather) added to the artificially created obstacles, and despite their age, the cars kicked up sprays and glided through dynamic skids in tight turns—a real wet idyll! In the Veteran category, Mercedes-Benz models from 1957 and 1953 took first place, while the Prestige category was won by a 1973 Ford Taunus. During the paired runs, a rally-prepared Moskvitch-2140SL, recently fully restored, shone brightly. The victory in the navigator’s stage went to a 1976 Chaika. A fierce duel in the final run between two British cars saw a hard-fought win for the white Austin Healey, which managed to push last year’s winner, a Mini Cooper with a Belarusian crew, into second place.

Retro-Fest in Sokolniki

That weekend was marked by an entirely different event—a club gathering in the old Moscow park. Along the circular alley around the fountain, fans of various car brands gathered—GAZ, Volkswagen, Moskvitch, Saab, and more. Most of the cars grouped together in little clusters, while others took any free space they could find. There weren’t many cars; they barely filled two-thirds of the circle, and the majority were from domestic manufacturers, including two experimental Volgas that never made it to production.

It seems that the Sokolniki Retro-Fest is set to replace the autumn Oldtimer Gallery, which will no longer be held. The organizers ensured that the new event kept some features of the Gallery, such as the familiar retro-market, with quality music provided by the surf group Nailhead from the park stage. However, not every serious collector of car antiques would risk displaying their treasures outdoors, given Moscow’s unpredictable weather, so we didn’t expect any real rarities here. “The heavens,” however, did show mercy to the Retro-Fest visitors; while June 28th was still drizzly and cool, by the 29th, the clouds parted, and the temperature rose to pleasant summer levels, allowing the few open cars, which had been huddled under fabric in the rain, to drop their tops and present themselves to the park’s visitors in full glory.

Photo: Andrey Khrisanfov

This is a translation. You can read the original article here: На минувший июнь пришлось не одно, а сразу три олдтаймер-события. С подробностями — Андрей Хрисанфов